Clutch mechanism



July 7, 1925. 1,544,621

G. A. WIDMANN I l CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26. 1925 2 Sheets-.fSheet 1 f' j L/ /y :itin-EIMS July 7, 1925.

G. A. WIDMANN CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill Patented July 7, 1925.

GUSTAN A. wrimaiviv,u or cHIcAeo, immers,

CLUTCH'. MECHANISM.

Application med v.tanuany 26, 1925. serial No. 4,783. v

Be it known that I, GUsrAv A. VVIDMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, i' the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Clutch Mechanism, tion. j Y This invention relates to a clutchmechanisrn adapted for use where a rotary intermittent feed movement is desired. More particularly it is concerned with certain improvements designed to meet very exacting conditions which demand the avoidance of any slip movements. Such a clutch mechanism may be operated vto advantage in many capacities, but the one hereinafter to be considered, primarily for the lsake of convenience, is in connection with the manufacture of gill nets.

An embodiment of my invention `in a of which the following isa specificapreferred form isshown in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is an axial section through the clutch mechanism, certain parts associated therewith being exhibitedv in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken proximately on line 2-'2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is also a fragmentary section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and n.

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken on lines 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

I have shown in the drawings one end of a pair of rollers 6 and 7, onebeing covered with felt and the other with emery. A construction such as this is commonly. employed in the making of gill nets, the rollers being gear connected as at 8 and 9, whereby Stpthey are revolved together and oppositely.'

Associated with one lof these rollers kis a shaft 10 rotatably mounted within a suitable bearing which is carried upon a bracket 10'. The clutch mechanism of the present invention employs va plurality of pallets and pawls designed to operate alternately upon this shaft so as to impart thereto an intermittent feed movement. The gill net machine parts just referredv to have nothing special to do with this invention, but have been shown and described primarily in furtherance of a better understanding thereof. f

Mounted fast on the shaft 10 is a wheel 11 having an elongated hub 12 which extends laterally in opposite directions *for `an `sides of the band 14, as shown,

appreciable distance. The wheel rim 13 vis surrounded by a band 14 which may be shrunk thereon, the same being preferably formed of soft machine steel. Formed on thewheel hub is a pair of oppositely facing shoulders 14a which are aligned with the and upon opposite sides of the wheel I mount a pair of plates 15 and 16, each being provided with `a laterally disposed hub.y 17 Vwhich extends away from the other to fit over the wheel hub 12. yPreferably the ends of the two plate hubs align with the ends of the wheel hub, as shown. A cap 18 which is secured to the shaft end, as byv means of a bolt 19, servesto retain these partsin a vfixedly assembled relation. The plate 15 which lies inwardly of the other is connected'with an arm 20 extending from a stationary part `of the machine so as to beheld against movement. It is of advantage to this invention that the two plates and wheel should have some such mounting vas has been described for Vthe reason that these parts, are thereby centered true and accurately relative to each other, irrespective'of whether or not the wheel remains accurately centered on the shaft 10.

With the outer plate 16, I associate-a spider plate 2l having a hub k22 which overlies the proximate plate hub 1.7, the cap 18 serving also, if desired, to hold the spidex` plate in position. By means of bolts 23v of which there may be several, the spider plate is connected fast to the plate 16. Projecting radially from the spider plate is a crank arm 24 adapted to be reciprocated through the medium of a pitman or other instrumentality, not shown.v Manifestly any such movements are communicated to the plate 16 through the bolt connections 23 just referred to. j

Surrounding the band 14 are two rings 25 and 26, hereinafter termed, respectively, the pallet4 and pawl rings. A separating ring 27 is interposed therebetween for reasons which will presently appear. The

pallet ring 25 which is carried by the-plate 16 may be secured thereto with the aid of the sameV bolts 23 which hold the spider plate in place. The pawl ring 26 may be secured to itsvv associated plate 15 through the medium of 'other bolts.28,` as shown. Both of these rings are, by preference, formed with annular seats 29 whereinmay .lis vso located relative '5to vvopen lont npon the-band lll with ywhich tlieffring isfengaged. Y .slot tace opposite thereto, whichl Vis inclined slightly closer; -to the hand than the other, is

"14C 'With an. increasing` pressure,

e lished. :ln Jiurth'erance ot this, employaa spring 3% i'a pocket 'aextending laterally from the Vplate 2l :starts upon lent capacities.

vinserted Within the one end thereoic a plate 33, piieterably "of vtempered spring steel. Eaohpal'letnor;pawl movable lengthwise. otits slotlito engage 'the plate-'133 and band I whereby; a drining Lor #braking ;relationship is estab- Ifimiay also which4 lis entered within so .as 'to present larger eind of 'thefslot, the spring tending tov ih lold itsV associated roller in. position tor .insta/nt. action. lThe slots inthe paliletring are preterablyxinore nnmeronsxthan those fin vthe pawl :ring 1:26, ianzdithe tivo "sets 'ot slots iare oppositely tin'czliined, whereby the rollers in one.. rinfg actzto idr-ive, and those inthe lother toziholch'the avlieelll. It tol'- lo'ws from fthlis that Vthe pallets function .promptly so :as to prevent any :reverse movement otr the Wheel wilfienevertheA oscillatory .the reverse stroke 'ot its movement cycle.

ltwi's'evident thatitmovements fot the `pallet :ring will communicate Aan intermittent ro- Wlieel 11,. the `two machine i being thereby ioperated las feeding. movements,

tary leed '-.to the -rollersft :and fi desired. During such V.the ipawlsfi'n the-'itined ring fact to prevent any reversemovement, Yl'ioavevve'r slight, Yot :the shaft l@ tand palrftsA connected' therewith.

lit is'bfecanse of vsuch tea-tnresot construcition tliatil am enabled to start'fandv stopfitihe .rotary afeed tot 'the .Wheel il, driven. therefrom, with S fa i minimum yo t sli p, :the spring aetnated 'rollers 'being and fzparts -so held as to grip the engaging surfaces without delay.

` The mechanism, las abovevfdescrilbed,@can he employedfto advantageifn -many 'difierll. .am not ysomuch `concerned Withthe details Vo't* any drive to afg-ill net machine `as with theessential pafrts vofthe present clnltoh mechanism, the samef-inclndi-ng -a Vdriven `Wheel iand :a patriot. -iin'gs4 having pallet and pawlwcln'tch .elements fopzpo- "site-ly disposed: sowas4 Ito :produce an instant response under oscillations.

Iclaini:

l, ln e 'el-inch mechanism, the combina ywhereby one lplate is l.ment's, :one .associated .with :each ot lito engage operatively withy 'the bythe salines.

. `gargeinent ing,` the wheel, imeasns .efaoh open Vnipon. 'the .inner ring than the other, a roller nionznted in :the :several slots, and spring means @against .each roller gtending to .nieve ledzita'st thereon, .roniading-the wheel, each ring heinpjproeach wheel side, means whereby each plate ,is vcentered With respect to the Wheel, means tixedly held against movement, means 'for oscillating the other plate, a i pallet ring surrounding the Wheel and connected tast to the oscillating plate, :a paiv'l :riiii'g .zalso surrounding the Wheel and connected tast With the lined plate, a separating ring between the tWo rings ilast named, a'i-i'd two 1 sets of clutch elethe adapted alternately Wheel wherestarted fand stopped iin-vresponse tio movements oit the oscillatiiiifig plate, substantially as described.

LIQ. lnv'azf-cilntoh mechanism, the combination with fa. di'iven'fslrat, loft a/Whcc'l mounted .tast thereon, the Wheel being provided 'with an elongated'Ihnbvezetending in oppo- .ftwo .rings Vlast named,

`*site directions therefrom., tivo plates each dmonntedfon :they Wheel hub :and adaptedeone *to restagainst .either side thereof, means tor .ioscilflatiing ioneplate,iotherumeans for -holding,l '.theiot-her .plate tine/.dly against movement, a pallet mechanism vconnected tast 'with the oscillating plate, and af paWlv mechanism connected 'tast with the lined plate, each adapted to-r alternate operative en- Wdth- `:the `Wheel f whereby the shaft is started and stoppcdiifnresponse to :moveainients 'ot the oscillating plate, substantially as described.

3. lin fa iclutch vanechanisni, the con'ibina-A tfion .with la idriven ysha-lt, ota- Wheel mounted tast thereon, two rings closely surroundtor holding one ring,` stationary, means for oscillating the other ring, therebeing vtermed .in each ring a plurality ot Viti:ansyersely extending slots,

tace. and .having its side lopposite theretoinclined whereby one `slot end is `closer to the wheel each -o't bearing the asame 'along `the *wheel 'toward the narrow ondmoit theslot with :an i'increasijn-g Wedge pressure, the v,direction -ot :inclination ol 'the slotszin one iringlibeing opposite to Vthose in the other, Where-by' the rollers in one ring v:serve as pallets aiiid those-in the yother as pawls, isnbstantially las described.

l. ln f -a y Acllntch anechanisin, i the. combinationwn'itlh a ldriven shalt, ot a Wheel ymounta :pair yo't )rings-closely snrvi'ded Awith a plurality iot transversely e);- .tending-.slots ywhich open .upon the inner -tace thereof, the slot Wall opposite such open tace" being inclined toy present one end thereof: closer to fthe Wheel than the other, fthe direoton of molina-tion 'of the slotsin Cil llO

one ring being opposite to those. in the other, a roller positioned within each slot, a separa-ting ring between the two roller rings acting to confine the rollers therewithin against endwise movement toward each other, and a pair of plates associated with the wheel, one stationany andthe other rotatable independently thereof, each plate being connected fast with the proximate ring, the two plates serving to confine the rollers against endwise movement away from each other, substantially as described.

5. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a driven shaft, of a wheel carriedfast thereby, a pair of plates one adjacent each wheel side, means whereby each plate is maintained in concentric relation with the wheel, a pair of rings between the two plates each closely surrounding the wheel, co-operating means on each ring and plate proximate thereto f-or holding the ring against radial displacement, means adapted to connect each ring fast to its associated plate, means whereby one plate is held fixedly against movement, means foroscillating the other plate, and mountings in each ring for a plurality of clutch elements, those in the oscillating ring being pallets and those in the iixed ring being p-awls, all such elements being adapted to engage operatively with the wheel rim to start and stop the same in response to movements of the oscillatory plate, substantially as described.

6. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a drivenshaft, of a wheel carried fast thereby, the wheel being provided with an elongated hub extending in opposite directions, a band surrounding the wheel and secured fast thereto, a pair of shoulders on the wheel hub one in alignment with each side of the band, a pair of plates arranged on opposite sides of the wheel, each plate being adapted to seat adjacent the wheel band and shoulder, means for holding one plate stationary against movement, means for oscillating the other plate, each plate being provided with an inwardly extending marginal flange, a separating ring surrounding the hand, and two clutch rings also surrounding the band o-ne on each side of the sep-arating ring and each engageable by the inwardly extending flange of the proximate plate, means for connecting fast each clutch ring to the proximate plate, and clutch elements mounted in each vplate in operative relation to the wheel and adapted tor alternate operative engagement therewith whereby the wheel is started and stopped in response to movements of the oscillatory plate, substantially as described.

7. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a driven shaft, of a wheel carried fast thereby, a pair of rings side by side closely surrounding the wheel, there being formed in each ring a plurality of slots each open on the inner ring side, the slot wall opposite such face being inclined so as to lie closer to thewheel at one vslot end than the other, the direction of inclination of such walls being opposi-te in the two rings, a roller mounted within each 'slot and adapted to wedgingly engage t-he wheel rim, means for holding one ring fast, and other means for oscillating the -other ring and a mounting on the wheel for each of said last named vmeans, substantially as described.

8. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a driven shaft, of a wheel carried fast thereby, a plurality of pallets and pawls disposed to the outside of the wheel in a manner to engage with the rim thereof, a pair of mountings, one for the pallets and the other for the pawls, wherein these parts may be moved vinto wedging engagement with the whee-l rim, the faces which produce such wedging engagement of the pallets and pawls being reversely inclined inthe two mountings whereby the Wheel is alternately started and stopped in response to intermittent rota-tion of the pallet mounting, substantially as described.

9. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a. driven wheel, of two rings side b side surrounding the rim thereof, a plurality of spring actuated pallets mounted in one ring, and a plurality of spring actuated pawls mounted in the other ring', all of the pallets and pawls being in engagement with the wheel rim, there being for each pallet and pawl a wedge facein the associated ring so inclined as to assure an immediate clutching with the' wheel when the pallet ring is moved in either direction, and the number of such pallets being in excess of the pawls, substantially as described.

10. In a clutch mechanism, the combination with a driven wheel, of two rings'side by side surrounding the rim thereof, a mounting for each ring on the wheel hub, a plurality of spring actuated pallets mounted in one ring and a plurality of spring actuated pawls mounted in the other ring, all of theJ pallets and pawls being in engagement with the wheel rim, there being for each pallet and pawl a wedge face in the associated ring so inclined as to assure an immediate clutching with thewheel rim when the pallet ring is moved in either direction, substantially as described.

GUSTAV A. WIDMANN.

Witness:

EPHRAIM BANNING.

llO 

